Getaway: Ski Report - What’s New in the Mountains of New England

Wednesday

Oct 31, 2007 at 12:01 AMOct 31, 2007 at 5:49 AM

Editor's note: For Nov. 7 publication.

It was the worst of times, it was the best of times (sorry Charles Dickens). Last year’s ski season started with warmth – and no snow – and ended with the best snowfall, and some of the best ski conditions ever in March and April.

Tim Jones

Editor's note: For Nov. 7 publication.

It was the worst of times, it was the best of times (sorry Charles Dickens). Last year’s ski season started with warmth – and no snow – and ended with the best snowfall, and some of the best ski conditions ever in March and April.

Everyone’s hoping the weather won’t be big news again this year. What certainly is big news is the demise of the giant American Skiing Company and new owners for Sugarloaf and Sunday River in Maine, Attitash in New Hampshire, Mount Snow, and Killington and Pico in Vermont.

New capital is flowing into these resorts as the new owners improve their facilities. Given the horrendous start to last year’s season, it’s not surprising that energy-efficient compressors, snow-guns and groomers are tops on everyone’s shopping list. In fact, Attitash, Bretton Woods, Killington, Sugarbush, Sugarloaf and Sunday River all started making serious snow for the season in late October.

New lifts, trails, base lodges, slopeside villages, spas and health clubs will come about thanks to the new owners, but all take years of planning and construction. We’ll see the results down the road. But other projects that have been ongoing for years are now producing results.

New Hampshire

New owners and/or operators will eventually mean change at Attitash (Peak Resorts), Ragged Mountain (RMR Pacific) and Loon Mountain Resort (Boyne USA). But what you’ll see already at Loon, in Lincoln, is that after more than a decade of planning and permit processing they are finally opening three new runs – two groomed trails and a new glade – with two new lifts as the first phase of their expansion onto 2,450-foot South Peak.

Though the slopes at Bretton Woods in Bretton Woods are going to look pretty much the same this year, the off-slope experience is changing with a new 25,000-square foot spa and health club and 30,000-square foot convention center attached to the elegant Mount Washington Hotel. You’ll see it rise before your very eyes as the season progresses, and it should be open in late 2008.

Vermont

Four resorts have new owners in Vermont this season: Killington and Pico (Powder Corp.), Mount Snow (Peak Resorts) and Bolton Valley (Redstone). All will have much-needed upgrades before snow flies.

But the biggest and most visible changes are at Stowe, which is looking brand new – at least Spruce Peak where they’ve replaced slow lifts with new high speeds, added a new gondola to connect the Spruce base with Mount Mansfield across route 108, and created some new trail configurations. Stowe is also smack in the middle of building a complete new base village, including a base lodge and a huge slopeside hotel. The base lodge should be on-line in December while the hotel will open later in the season.

Believe it or not, there’s a brand-new lift at Mad River Glen, where nothing is ever supposed to change. But traditionalists needn’t worry. It doesn’t look like a new lift. MRG spent $1.5 million this season to fully restore and refurbish their iconic single chair. You can enjoy the same 45-minute wait in line for the 11-minute ride to the top in glorious solitude.

Maine

Both Sugarloaf and Sunday River were purchased in August by Boyne USA. The hotels are being spiffed up, new carpet lifts have been installed for beginners, and there’s more snowmaking.

But the biggest change in Maine is at Saddleback, where new lifts and a beautiful new base lodge opened last season are transforming this once-forgotten old warhorse. If you’ve never skied Saddleback, you’ve missed some of best terrain in New England.

Massachusetts

Cruise out to Jiminy Peak if you want to get a glimpse of the future at ski resorts. On top of their hill, they’ve installed a huge new wind turbine, called The Zephyr, which will generate a full 1/3 of the electricity used by this humming resort. It looks like a moving Brancusi sculpture and, in its own way, is as beautiful and practical as Boston’s Zakim Bridge.

OFF THE RADAR

One of the best things about New England skiing is the sheer diversity. If you only ski the big-name resorts with high mountains, high-speed lifts and high-ticket prices, you are missing some of the best.

Here are samples of some favorite smaller areas you may never have visited.

· Whaleback Mountain (Enfield, N.H.; 603 448-1489; www.whaleback.com) is already open for skiing and riding, sort of. In late October, they started trucking in ice shavings from local skating rinks and using them to lubricate their brand new Jib Park where skiers and snowboarders grind rails and other urban-style hits on snowboards and twin-tipped skis. Great fun if you are under 25 and still on Mom and Dad’s health insurance.

· Burke Mountain (East Burke, Vt.; 802-626-3322; www.skiburke.com) is about to go mainstream with lots of new slopeside lodging. Get there now, while it’s still quiet. You’ll love the terrain and the views.

· Magic Mountain (Londonderry, Vt.; 802-824-5645; www.magicmtn.com) is the best-kept secret in southern Vermont. If you like challenging terrain and no crowds, don’t miss it.

· Black Mountain (Jackson, N.H.; 800-475-4669; www.blackmt.com) and Berkshire East (Charlemont, Mass.; 413-339-6617; www.berkshireeast.com) are ski areas that time has forgotten. The lifts are slow, but the prices are reasonable and the terrain is great.

· Cannon Mountain (Franconia N.H.; 603-823-8800; www.cannonmt.com) is always cold, often icy, but is the biggest, most challenging and least crowded mountain close to Boston.

IF YOU GO

You can ALWAYS save money on lift tickets by purchasing ahead of time online, at off-site vendors (try local ski shops), by buying multi-day tickets, or, best of all, by skiing mid-week and non-holiday. Check the Web sites for more special offers.